This invention relates to the field of nondestructive testing in which a test specimen or workpiece is illuminated with acoustic wave energy and the ultrasonic frequency energy echo returns therefrom are processed for the purpose of feature mapping, locating, and identification.
The use of ultrasonic energy reflections to "view" the internal features of an integral workpiece has been known in the art for a number of years. As heretofore practiced, however, this use of ultrasonic energy viewing has been limited in resolution capability, especially with respect to workpiece features which are located physically adjacent a prominent feature of the workpiece-features such as its frontal or rearward surfaces. Although a portion of this limitation may be attributable to the somewhat elementary capability of available waveform processing apparatus in the electronic arts, a major portion of this limitation is believed related to processing of the available ultrasonic echo information according to a less than optimum information processing arrangement--an arrangement tending to overlook or obscure some available information.